If logos could talk, what would they say?

After the research, the strategizing, the endless rounds of diplomatic back-and-forth with all the stakeholders, the numerous iterations and testing, you and your brand’s identity eventually reach that karmic state where all is distilled into one unassailable truth. An image so clear and compelling, it makes any text virtually superfluous.

At its simplest and most effective, a logo is a visual tagline—a positioning statement expressed as a benefit. The hidden arrow in FedEx, Apple’s apple, Nike’s swoosh, World Wildlife Fund’s panda—all telegraph the unique promise each of these brands make to their users or society.

In a satirical twist, the creative minds behind the French artistic collective, Universal Unbranding, have gone beyond the official logo to discover the “un-benefit” behind the brand. The McDonald’s arches are obese, the Euro disintegrates into Greece, the Lacoste alligator bag weeps, the Olympic rings are a twist-toy of banned pharmaceuticals.

Logos and related identity imagery are designed to present a brand’s best face to the world, but look behind the curtain and you’ll discover a hidden truth.